Google and its rich friends will pay you to create Google Glass apps

Google Ventures, Marc Andreessen form new fund just for Glass applications.

If you have a great idea for how to use Google Glass, a big fat check could be coming your way. Google Ventures and two investment partners yesterday unveiled a new fund called the Glass Collective solely for providing seed money to startups "working on creative, diverse, and crazy ideas that are shaping the future through Glass."

Andreessen Horowitz (the firm cofounded by Marc Andreessen of Netscape fame) and Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers are the two investment firms joining Google in the Glass Collective. "The exciting part about today’s announcement of the Glass Collective is that just like with the Internet and smartphones, a huge amount of that work will be done by third-party developers, who are going to have in Glass a brand new platform and springboard for creativity to play with," Andreessen wrote in his blog.

Kleiner Perkins General Partner John Doerr wrote that Glass has the "potential to create a brave new world of services and experiences… New platforms are rare, but can be transformational, when they’re based on great products with robust APIs, powerful distribution and outstanding entrepreneurs."

Google recently provided a preview of the "Google Mirror API," which will allow third-party developers to build software for Glass. The Glass Collective said its first investments will be in the US only, but "[a]s the platform matures, our investment strategy will likely evolve as well." There isn't a single point of contact for people interested in seeking funding. "To work with the Glass Collective, contact investors at Google Ventures, Andreessen Horowitz, or KPCB. Investing partners from each fund will jointly review startup pitches related to Glass," the collective's website states.

I had to create an account just to agree with you sir. I saw this yesterday night and thought it was photo-shopped. Not only does the one in the left look like a pure cone head. The guy in the middle has quite a long forehead. Change the costumes and tweak their skin colors a bit and you got a league of villains.

"Yo - we have this device that's going to help us track you and keep a lot more data so we can sell ads at a much higher rate - anyone want to build some apps so that people will actually want to put it on their heads and keep it always on? If so, we'll spot you some cash."

I can't believe that this picture just unravelled all the hype Google has spun over the past few months - for me at least. I really don't need Google Glass to make me look nerdier than I already do.I can honestly say I don't want Glass anymore. :S Fair dues to those who do though.

Google Glass, I find it puzzling.Google wants to people who don't need glasses to wear them.Yet people who already need glasses, cannot use Google Glass.AFAIK you need 20-20 vision for the tech to work.Count me as disappointed (and literally short-sighted).

Google Glass, I find it puzzling.Google wants to people who don't need glasses to wear them.Yet people who already need glasses, cannot use Google Glass.AFAIK you need 20-20 vision for the tech to work.Count me as disappointed (and literally short-sighted).

They have shown models of normal glasses that can accomodate their Google Glass quite well. That particular issue is probably far down their list of worries. Getting people who don't need glasses to use this might be trickier.

Here's a free idea for someone (I actually have no experience building apps for Google devices, so the build time would be quite large for me). Build an app for law enforcement or the armed forces. Specifically for SWAT teams or covert ops. Using the video you could share the data through an encrypted connection with other team members and use the system to flash instructions or orders without making a sound. The advantage would be two-fold actually. Not only would you have better coordination among the team, but since everything is being recorded, it would be easy to track misuse or other infractions to keep everyone honest.

Hell, if nothing else, you could build an app for the police that could read a driver's license and could pull up their driving record or something.

That's all I've got and I'm sure I'm going to get downvoted, but I guarantee that if someone builds either of these and target the armed forces or police force, it would be helpful in their daily activities.

Here's a free idea for someone (I actually have no experience building apps for Google devices, so the build time would be quite large for me). Build an app for law enforcement...[and]...since everything is being recorded, it would be easy to track misuse or other infractions to keep everyone honest.

I've parsed your idea down to exactly what I would want. It would go a long way to cleaning up law enforcement and do away with people lying about what cops did or didn't do.

Storing said video, securely, and controlling access is another matter.

Why don't they pay someone to develop a peripheral so you don't have to talk to the glasses in order to access the interface. I'm a firm believer in not talking to my tools. Something like a watch, or fits in your fist like a Wii nunchuck would be ideal.

"Yo - we have this device that's going to help us track you and keep a lot more data so we can sell ads at a much higher rate - anyone want to build some apps so that people will actually want to put it on their heads and keep it always on? If so, we'll spot you some cash."

This is basically it. My life does not need an actioncam, and Glass cannot do augmented reality. So, what's left besides making social media even more intrusive than it already is? No thanks.

I had to create an account just to agree with you sir. I saw this yesterday night and thought it was photo-shopped. Not only does the one in the left look like a pure cone head. The guy in the middle has quite a long forehead. Change the costumes and tweak their skin colors a bit and you got a league of villains.

Here's a free idea for someone (I actually have no experience building apps for Google devices, so the build time would be quite large for me). Build an app for law enforcement or the armed forces. Specifically for SWAT teams or covert ops. Using the video you could share the data through an encrypted connection with other team members and use the system to flash instructions or orders without making a sound. The advantage would be two-fold actually. Not only would you have better coordination among the team, but since everything is being recorded, it would be easy to track misuse or other infractions to keep everyone honest.

Hell, if nothing else, you could build an app for the police that could read a driver's license and could pull up their driving record or something.

That's all I've got and I'm sure I'm going to get downvoted, but I guarantee that if someone builds either of these and target the armed forces or police force, it would be helpful in their daily activities.

Systems like this have already been tested at Ft. Bliss. They were heavy, fragile, and had too many wires. I'm sure the contractors pushing those systems are looking at Glass as well.

I think the biggest problem with Google Glass is the weird hanger-wire-looking head clip it's bolted to. It looks ridiculous and uncomfortable. I think a much better approach would be to separate the HUD from the main body and battery with a 36" flexible cable. The HUD itself would probably be small enough to clip on any normal pair of glasses. Then you could put the rest in your pocket.

A second enhancement would be to incorporate the battery and circuit board into a soft wrist strap, with built-in waterproof keyboard and SD card slots. The wire would hang down like a walkman's wire used to. Or, you could use BlueTooth and a battery pack that would hang on the back of your ear like a hearing aid for the HUD.

The point is, it can't look dorky or nobody will wear it. It doesn't matter how wonderful the software is, "makes me look like a dork" is an automatic fail.

What about clipping it on sunglasses? That's a killer requirement right there. If you're going to the beach or something, how are you going to get your weird GG headset under your sunglasses?

Google needs to think about how most people interact with technology. We don't wear our cell phones on our heads, we put them in our pockets. Sure, create a HUD as a small, clip-on bluetooth that only activates when you want it to. That'd be awesome. But don't attach a big silver wire to it...

I think the biggest problem with Google Glass is the weird hanger-wire-looking head clip it's bolted to. It looks ridiculous and uncomfortable. I think a much better approach would be to separate the HUD from the main body and battery with a 36" flexible cable. The HUD itself would probably be small enough to clip on any normal pair of glasses. Then you could put the rest in your pocket.

A second enhancement would be to incorporate the battery and circuit board into a soft wrist strap, with built-in waterproof keyboard and SD card slots. The wire would hang down like a walkman's wire used to. Or, you could use BlueTooth and a battery pack that would hang on the back of your ear like a hearing aid for the HUD.

The point is, it can't look dorky or nobody will wear it. It doesn't matter how wonderful the software is, "makes me look like a dork" is an automatic fail.

What about clipping it on sunglasses? That's a killer requirement right there. If you're going to the beach or something, how are you going to get your weird GG headset under your sunglasses?

Google needs to think about how most people interact with technology. We don't wear our cell phones on our heads, we put them in our pockets. Sure, create a HUD as a small, clip-on bluetooth that only activates when you want it to. That'd be awesome. But don't attach a big silver wire to it...

So what you're saying is that Google Glass is too obtrusive, and they should simply make everyone wear regular glasses in order to use it? Ah, no. That's way more obtrusive.

So what you're saying is that Google Glass is too obtrusive, and they should simply make everyone wear regular glasses in order to use it? Ah, no. That's way more obtrusive.

No, I'm saying that people who are already wearing glasses (or sunglasses, outside) should be able to clip the UI portion of GG on their glasses, which is better than what Google is currently offering.

As for people without glasses, that's tricky. Maybe a very light pair of sunglasses you can see through at night? like the barely-tinted gray ones I see some people wearing? It'd still look better than what they've got now. Especially if it came in tortoiseshell.

The point is, it'd look like normal glasses, not an orthodontic retainer strap for misaligned eyebrows.

By the way, one of the things that makes Google Glass look so weird is it hides your eyebrows.

Eyebrows are one of the most important building blocks of facial expressions. Hide them, and you look very weird. Check out a YouTube clip of Pink Floyd The Wall for the part where he goes nuts and shaves all his hair off. He looks freaky. Which is how you look wearing Google Glass. Because it obscures your eyebrows.

I mean, think about it. Regular glasses obscure your eyebrows partly, but they obscure a lot of other stuff too, including your eyes, and the effect sort of balances out. Or maybe it's just that traditional glasses are an expected part of culture, and we're so used to them that they contribute to expression just like eyebrows do, and don't bother us...